


Idols

by dragonshost



Series: Dragon's Armada Project [17]
Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: M/M, watch his entire worldview crumble
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-29
Updated: 2017-04-29
Packaged: 2018-10-25 12:32:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 874
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10764345
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dragonshost/pseuds/dragonshost
Summary: It's always hard to see your idols fall.





	Idols

"Lector! Lector, this way!" a small blond boy with spiky hair shouted, vigorously waving his arm. "Come on!"

"I'm coming, Sting-kun!" Waddling like... well like a cat on two hind legs, a russet furred feline followed the boy, hurriedly trying to put on a small blue vest. His tail wound between his legs, and a moment later his oversized head smacked into the cobblestones, his hind paws firmly tied up in tail.

The boy winced, and ran over to his friend. "Hey, are you okay, Lector?"

Lifting his head, dirt smeared across his fuzzy face, Lector nodded. "Yeah, this is nothing to a disciple of the great Sting-kun!"

With a laugh, Sting scooped the cat up in his arms. "You're right about that! But how about I carry you until we get there?"

"Sure!" Lector agreed, settling into Sting's hold.

"I'm so excited!" Sting said, setting off through town once more. "I wonder what the paper will say today? Did Fairy Tail destroy another town? I bet they did! Natsu-san is the most destructive of them all! Remember when Natsu-san destroyed Hargeon by dropping a boat on it?!"

Lector began to purr as the boy chattered on about his idol. The feline well understood Sting's feelings of admiration for the older dragon slayer.

Soon, Sting's favorite convenience store came into view, an old woman sweeping the doorstep. Spotting her, Sting he picked up his pace, his short legs hurrying to meet her. "Granny!"

She glanced up and smiled at the pair. "Hello, boys. Did you come to pick up snacks?"

Sting shook his head as Lector jumped out of his arms to the ground. "No, the new paper comes out today! I want to see what Fairy Tail's been up to this week!"

A sharp intake of breath was his response, and a stiffening of her shoulders. Her lips curled into a tight, thin smile. "Sorry, Sting!" she apologized, her voice half an octave too high - making Sting's sensitive ears itch. "I'm afraid we've run out of papers!" The knuckles on her hands gripping the broom were bone white.

Frowning, Sting leaned to the side, trying to see the newsstand behind her. "But aren't there still some right there?"

The old woman stepped in front of them. "Nope! Sorry, Sting. We really are fresh out."

Sting's shoulders slumped in disappointment. "Okay. Thanks, Granny." He turned away. "Come on, Lector."

"Yes, Sting-kun!"

As he began to walk away, the very picture of dejection, the old storekeeper let out a soft sigh of relief and relaxed once more.

The instant she did, Sting abruptly pivoted and dashed back towards her. Before she could react, Sting dropped into a slide - neatly passing the barricade.

Another sigh fell from her lips as Sting pulled out one of the papers from the box and began devouring the printed words with his eager blue eyes. Setting her broom down, she entered the shop, moving around Sting to the counter.

Lector jogged back over to his idol. When he was standing in front of Sting once more, Lector froze upon seeing Sting's expression. Tears were welling in his cornflower eyes, his lower pulled up and trembling. The newspaper shook violently in his white-knuckled grip. "Sting-kun?" Lector questioned tentatively. "Is something the matter?"

Sting didn't respond, his eyes moving rapidly back and forth, though he couldn't have been seeing much of anything through the saltwater held in them.

"Sting-kun?"

"L-Lector," Sting whispered, finally tearing his gaze away from the newspaper. "How... this is... N-Natsu-san... he!" The boy's mouth opened and closed soundlessly. Fat droplets of water broke free, and slid down his cheeks. Then a wail poured from his throat, warbling and wet, rising and falling in pitch. Mucus dripped from his nostrils, but Sting took no heed of it.

That's when Lector saw the picture in the newspaper - of a blank sea - and the headline, printed large and stark on the page.

**_Fairy Tail Mages Annihilated By Dragon - Sacred Island Destroyed_ **

Lector rushed forward, latching onto Sting's leg. He buried his face in the cloth, his claws digging into it and his own tears soaking into the fabric.

"W-why, Lector? N-Natsu-san..." Sting gulped. "He's... he was... he was stronger than me!" Another keening wail built up in his throat, but Sting forced it back, his words coming through in high, pitchy starts and fits. "How could he... how could... how could a dragon _kill him?_ "

Gently, the newspaper was pried out of Sting's grasp, his hands clenched tightly and refusing to relinquish the object. Once the item was free of Sting's grip, the boy crumpled - as if it had been the only thing holding him upright. There was no air left in his lungs; it had been squeezed out by the constricting pain winding its way through his chest.

Lector crawled into Sting's vacant arms. "I'm sorry, Sting-kun!" he sobbed. "I'm so sorry!"

Sting wrapped his arms around the cat, burying his face into russet fur and ignoring the shopkeeper as she placed the paper on the counter, and set down a mug of steaming tea in front of him, and the way Lector's tiny claws dug into his chest.

The pinpricks were nothing compared to the pain in his heart.


End file.
